Carried Away With Cumberbatch
by angieblair10
Summary: (On hiatus for NaNoWriMo, be back soon!) Okay, first and foremost, I do not own Benedict Cumberbatch in any way, shape, or form; although, let's be honest, who doesn't wish they did? This is going to be a series of one shots about the relationship between the reader and Benedict Cumberbatch (: Any ideas for interactions or dates are welcome as reviews or PMs(: Rated T to be safe!
1. Chapter 1

You stare across the room at a slender man with piercing eyes and dangerously defined cheekbones. If you weren't already nervous for this audition, you definitely are now! You try to take your eyes off of him to focus on your monologue; just a few more run-throughs in your head and you just _know_ you'll have it down. Reading through it, you zone out for a minute, _You may fancy a glimpse of the abyss where I grovelled! Shake your head as you will, Nelly, you have helped to unsettle me! _You had always been a fan of Wurthering Heights, so it was undeniable that you would have chosen this monologue.

Because of the small number of actors there for the audition, the director decides that everyone will be in the room for all the monologues. You are shaking, but everyone else in the room seems to be a bit more nervous than they were just a few minutes ago as well, so you find yourself calming down a bit. You glace over to the other side of the room, back to the man with the cheekbones, and soon, you find yourself day dreaming a bit about his deep blue eyes, curly auburn hair, and pink lips. In fact, you fall so deep into your day dream that you fail to remember that you are staring right at this guy, who is now staring right back at you with an amused look on his face. Your cheeks and ears immediately flush a bright pink, and you look down, embarrassed, at your crinkled up monologue.

"Benedict Cumberbatch." You stifle a giggle. What kind of a name is _that_? You glance up to see Mr. Cheekbones walking up to the front of the room, and the second he opens he mouth to speak you are transfixed... _again._ His voice almost sounds like the purr of an old sports car as he went into his monologue; which was also from Wurthering Heights. You closed your eyes and let his voice drift you back to the late nights hiding with a flashlight under your blanket in bed, just trying to finish one more chapter. You can remember the low hum of the fan in your room, and the distant noises of city life outside of your window as you got lost in the lives Emily Bronte had created. The escape from the world around you and the plunge into the fictional life in your hands was enough to keep you reading forever.

Benedict finished with a slight smile, then went back to sit down next to the rest of the men. You caught his eye again, so you mouthed a "good job," then watched as the next actor was called up. A few more monologues went by, and now it was your turn. You stood up, straightened your skirt, and glided to the front of the room. You introduced yourself, the role you were auditioning for, then dived right in. _ How long is it since I shut myself in here? It seems a weary number of hours ... it must be more._ You grew more and more into character with every word. _I pondered, and worried myself to discover what it could be, and, most strangely, the whole last seven years of my life grew a blank! I did not recall that they had been at all. _You caught Benedict's eye. He looked so engulfed in your monologue, that your eyes focused in on him, and you delivered the rest of the monologue solely to him. _I cannot say why I felt so wildly wretched: it must have been temporary derangement; for there is scarcely cause. But, supposing at twelve years old I had been wrenched from the Heights, and every early association, and my all in all, as Heathcliff was at that time, and been converted at a stroke into Mrs. Linton, the lady of Thrushcross Grange, and the wife of a stranger: an exile, and outcast, thenceforth, from what had been my world. _With the last few words, you smiled, brought your eyes back to the expressionless faces of the director and others on the board, and quickly moved to sit back down.

After all of the actors had completed their auditions, the director stood up, gave some speech about the good jobs everyone had done, and dismissed you. As you collected your belongings, you heard a voice come up behind you. "Wurthering Heights, excellent choice!" That voice. You turn around to see two soft, pink lips formed into a genuine smile speaking at you. "You must really enjoy that story. I don't think I have ever known anyone to become so engulfed in a character before, at least, not during audition." What was he saying? His mouth was moving but you couldn't focus on a single word coming out of his mouth. A couple of seconds go by, and you finally realize his lips have stopped moving, and the smile is fading from his perfect lips.

"Um, yeah. Thanks," you have no idea what you're supposed to be replying to. "Your audition was brilliant! It felt like it was a real life Heathcliff standing in front of everyone, it was really, um, quite wonderful." Embarrassed, you turn to leave, but trip over your own feet. _Perfect. Just perfect. _To your surprise Benedict catches you, and steadies you on your feet again.

"Careful now!" He chuckled, and what a sound it was! You were immediately convinced he could read the dictionary to you, and you could be fully entertained the entire time. "Here," he offered his arm. "Let me help." He wrapped his arm around yours and walked you out the door and to the parking lot.

"I think I can manage from here, thanks," you were sure your face had never been this shade of red before. It couldn't be healthy.

"Anytime," there was that smile again. "Hey, I was wondering if you had any other plans for today? It's just that a few friends of mine, and I, are meeting up for coffee downtown to talk about the audition, and I would love it if you could come! I know they would all be very impressed with you," you couldn't believe it; he actually sounded genuine!

"Are you sure I wouldn't be intruding, or something?" _Intruding?_ You really had a way a way with words today...

"Of course not! It's just casual," he flashed that smile again. "Plus, I would really love for them to meet the woman who has almost as much skill as me." He winked. Oh my good golly gosh, he _winked. _You were sure that your heart just stopped beating. How could you say no to a wink? _His _wink?

"I guess I could stop by for a bit," you had never been more grateful for your acting abilities. Hopefully, he wouldn't be able to see through the facade of sanity you were putting on.

"Wonderful! So why this play?" You and Benedict caught a taxi, and spent the entire ride discussing different plays, musicals, movies, and books you enjoy. All too soon, you arrived at this shabby little cafe in downtown London. He gets out first and gets your door for you before you have a chance to object, and you walk in.

The inside of the cafe is warm and homey. There isn't many customers, but you see a group of about four people sitting in the corner in the back. "Coffee?" Benedict asks.

"Sure, yeah. Two sugars for me, thanks." You glance around at little wodden chairs and tables gathered in clusters around the cafe on the worn red carpet. Your gaze scales up the walls to see peeling beige wallpaper with a faint pattern on it, that may have once been a sort of paisley. It was warm, and cozy, even if it was visibly worn; in fact, it was almost comfortable.

"Two sugars, for the lady," that smile was going to kill you. "Now, what are we standing around for? Time to go meet the group!" He waved at the group in the back, who stood up to come meet us as we walked over to them. He quickly introduced you to all of them as _the girl who has enough talent to become whosoever she wants to be_. In the group was his friends Tom, Martin, Amanda, Olivia, and David. They were all extremely nice, and after a few hours of stories and jokes, they invited you to come around with them whenever.

The next week, when you recieved your final call back, you were relieved to see Benedict did as well. You two continued to work on the play together as good friends and colleagues, and spent most of your time outside of rehearsal together; rehearsing lines and goofing off-with, or without, the group.


	2. Chapter 2

It's been a couple of months since you started hanging around with Benedict and his friends, and it's now closing night of the play. After the show ends, there's a big cast party for the entire cast and crew of the show, plus,friends and family at a local restaurant. Benedict and you share a taxi over from the show, and are sharing compliments back and forth about each of your acting jobs; him, complimenting you on your devotion to character, and you, complimenting him on his ability to make any character his own.

When you arrive at the restaurant, you aren't surprised at all to see all of your friends (Tom, Martin, Amanda, David, and Olivia) there, but from the moment you two walk in, Olivia has her hands immediately on Benedict. She's hugging him, hanging on his arm, and he doesn't even seem to notice. You can't remember the last time you felt this twinge of jealousy in the pit of your stomach, but it was really wearing on you. You kept trying to play it off, by not looking at them, or laughing extra loud to keep any suspicions that you might be uncomfortable away, but you could tell it was not working. Soon, but not soon enough, the group decides they want to head over to Tom's flat to continue the party because the retaurant was about to close. Thankfully, this triggered a realization about how late it really was to Olivia, and she decides to head home instead.

When Olivia announced that she was leaving, you let out a less than muted sigh of relief. _Finally, _you thought to yourself. _I can have Benedict back!_ You found yourself immediately loosening up, and smiling and laughing with the others as you each waited for a taxi. You and Benedict were the last to catch a taxi. He opened the door for you as you sid into the back, and he got in beside you. You two joked around about Martin and Amanda, and how inseperable they were all night. You joke about how they kept having these moments where their eyes would meet and they would just sit there for a second smiling like a couple of idiots, and almost on cue, you and Benedict lock eyes. You both go dead silent for what seems like forever, just smiling at each other. The distance between you was closing, and quickly, and just as your lips were about to meet, the taxi stopped. The driver cleared his throat, and you looked away quickly, embarrassed.

Benedict payed the cab fare, and grabbed your hand to help you out of the taxi and onto the street. You were sure you were feeling more electricity than normal pulsing out of your hand and his as your fingers were locked together. Your hands stayed together like this as you walked up to Tom's flat, and even as you came through the door; which, you and Benedict didn't seem to notice, but everyone else sure did!

When you walked in, music was already playing and everyone was already dancing around. Tom announced that, now that Benedict was there, the fuzeball tournament would begin, so all of the guys made their way over to the table. You poured yourself a drink, and made your way over to the sofa where Amanda and Martin were talking, laughing, and goofing off and took a seat next them.

"Why aren't you competing, Martin?" It was obvious that he was too engulfed in his girlfriend to care about an all boys 2-1 tournament that Benedict was obviously winning.

"Oh, I've never been very good at fuzeball, myself. I always end up on Ben's team and just kind of standing there. It's much more comfortable over here, just watching." But his eyes weren't on the game at all. His gaze kept moving from Amanda's face to their entangled hands and back again. You couldn't help but grin at the obvious connection they shared, it was nothing less than adorable, and made you a little sad that you didn't have anyone like that in your life.

"Oh yeah, that makes sense," you let out a chuckle. "He's not much of a team player." You realized you were just kind of staring at him now. His furrowed brow as he concentrated on the game, the crooked grin he would get when he was about to make a winning move, and the muscles tensing up in his forearms everytime he would turn a knob to hit the ball... there was a chuckle from next to you.

Amanda leaned over, so as to be as quiet as possible. "You know, he may not make a good team player, but he's excellent in a relationship. Especially, with someone he really cares about." Your face immediately went red. Were you really being so obvious that she noticed your stares? You stumbled over a few words, trying to respond to her.

"Bu-but how? How did you?"

"Well, for one, you haven't stopped staring at him all night," your face felt heated. "And two, you were definitely holding hands when you walked in!" You couldn't help but laugh with her. You weren't exactly hiding your feelings very well, but you didn't realize just how obvious they _really_ were.

"Do you think _he's_ noticed? I mean, I don't want him to get all freaked out that I might have feelings for him, or anything." You were feeling a bit nervous. Had he noticed? And did he have feelings for you too? You could have sworn for that moment, in the taxi, that he was going to kiss you, but that could have been your imagination.

"I think you're secret is safe," Amanda and Martin were both laughing pretty hard at this point. "At least, with us, anyway."

The night continued on and Benedict won the fuzeball tournament, twice. You all continued to dance, joke, and goof off until there were bits of light coming in the windows. Tom announced that "unlike you losers, [he] had a life and needs some sleep" so he kicked you all out. Amanda, Martin, and David all headed off down the street, since their flats were within walking distance, but instead of following them, to his flat, Benedict offered to make sure you got home safely. You couldn't resist the offer, and hailed a taxi for the both of you.

Inside of the taxi, you both sat silent for a few minutes. Until Benedict cleared his throat. "So did you have fun tonight?"

"Oh yeah, loads. Martin and Amanda are actually really quite enjoyable when you can get them talking about something other than each other." You both chuckled a little. "Great job at fuzeball, by the way. I don't think I have ever witnessed that much skill at table futball before!"

"Oh that? That was purely luck." Did he just _blush_? No, it must have been a trick of the light.

"Not according to Martin, he's convinced you could win every round you play." You were just sort of babbling now, as you were feeling a bit awkward complimenting him this much. "Anyway, so did you have fun tonight?"

"Yeah, it was definitely eventful. Hey, what was going on earlier, when we were at the cast party, I mean? You seemed a little upset." You face went immediately flush. What were you supposed to say? Oh nothing, just got jealous at Olivia for totally throwing herself at you because I really, _really_ like you? Well that definitely wasn't going to happen.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I was just thinking about some stuff, like the play being over and all, just going to miss it. It's nothing important." You put on your best fake smile, and wished he would fall for it.

"You know, there's nothing going on between Olivia and I..." _WHAT._ "She wants there to be, but I don't know, she's just not really my type, you know?" His brow furrowed a bit. You couldn't think of what to say next. Do you ask him what his type is? Do you ask him if Amanda told him about your earlier conversation? You had no idea where this was going.

"Oh?" _Well, that was profound._ The taxi stopped in front of your flat. Benedict helped you out, and told the driver to wait. He walked you up to your door. You couldn't hold it in anymore, you just had to know. "So if she isn't your type, than who is?" Your focused on the ground, "I mean, she's just so smart, and beautiful, an-"

"So are you." He brushes the hair out of your face, and with two fingers lifts your gaze to meet his. He smiles sweetly and leans in, then places a gentle kiss on your lips. He opens the door for you and guides you in, and with one last goodnight kiss he whispers, "I'll see you tomorrow, Love," and he leaves.


	3. Chapter 3

**I feel as though my writing style has changed a bit in this chapter. Not necessarily for the worse, just different... (: I love reviews, especially if they are suggestions! I could always use ideas, seeing as this story is all about pleasing you as the reader, and I won't know how to do that unless you tell me what you want! So read, review, and most importantly, please enjoy! Happy reading (:**

The next morning when you wake up, it feels like last night with Benedict was all just some crazy dream. "I'll see you tomorrow, Love."  
You roll over in bed with a stretch and a yawn. Your mobile dings with the familiar tone you've come to recognize as a text alert, so you reach to your nightstand and feel for your phone. The familiar feel of cold metal greets your fingertips and you grab the mobile and pull it to your face. Good morning, Beautiful. Can't wait to see you. xx You blush. It suddenly all comes back to you: the heat in your cheeks as he pulled your face to his, the sweet caress of his lips on yours, and feel of his shaky exhale on your face as he pulled away. Last night really did happen, and he missed you!

Next thing you know, you're literally jumping on the bed and giggling like a 12-year-old girl, without shame, when your mobile rings. You jump off the bed, grab the phone and answer it, trying not to sound out of breath. "Yes? Hello?"

"How quickly can you be dressed?" Benedict could sound so sinister when he wanted to, and this was definitely one of those times.

"Well, Mr. Cumberbatch, that all depends on where I'm planning to go. Why do you ask?" The flirty, assertive vibe you were going for, couldn't quite break through the girlish excitement in your voice.

"I have a little surprise for you, my dear, and it just can't wait for tonight," right on cue, someone rang at the door. "But there's no rush." His laughter lingered in the air around you as you ended the call, and began to dress. Lacking the knowledge of what you would be doing, you peek out of your bedroom window, for a quick weather check. It was a little overcast, as usual, but the clouds didn't seem to loom in an especially threatening way. With this knowledge, you throw on your "good jeans" and a pastel long sleeve tee, the one that hugs your form in all the right places. You run a comb through your hair, add a little eyeliner, slip on some shoes, and you're on your way.

"Stunning." Your whole being lights up the second you see Benedict, just as his does when you come into view. "You look beautiful." He reaches for your hand, and entangles his fingers between your's.

"You're not too shabby yourself," you let out a muted laugh, that's greeted by a warm, yet brief kiss. Heat rushed to your cheeks, once again. "So, just where are you taking me, then?"

"Like I said, it's a surprise, but I know you're going to enjoy it." He smiled and begins to lead you down the street. You take this moment of comfortable silence to take it all in: his beautiful blue eyes that seemed to reflect the gray of the sky, his curly hair sprawled around the sides of his face, and his soft, warm hand that was entwined with your's between you.

Benedict leads you into a quaint, little cafe a few blocks from your flat. He invites you to find a seat while he strolls to the counter to order. You seem to notice everything about him like it's all brand new to you: his long, lean legs, the small, coppery curls that teased the top of his neck, and that perfect little bum that was so perfectly outlined by his jeans. You crack a smile as he comes back to the booth you chose carrying two cups a small pastry bag. He takes the seat opposite of you, and apologizes for them not carrying your favorite tea. "But I hope this can make up for it," he pulls two jelly-filled powdered donuts from the pastry bag. You can't help but chuckle.

"I guess, that can make up for it." You pick up a donut and take a bite. "Mmm, raspberry, my favorite!" He smiles at you across the table as he begins eating his as well.

"I noticed you always got one when we would go to that bakery on Druid St."

"St. John's? Yeah, I love that place! Have you tasted their madelines? They are brilliant with a nice cup of hot chocolate in the winter." You blush at the realization of your rambling. You glance back at Benedict to see him beaming.

"You sure do blush a lot," he accuses with a chuckle. "It's okay though, you're cute when you do." He winks at you, and you immediately feel the blood surge to your cheeks. He just laughs as you both stand up to leave. You grab your tea and one hand, and find your other arm interlinked with his as you exit the cafe.

Stepping outside makes you realize just how chilly it really is, and you involuntarily shiver and snuggle closer to Benedict. He flags down a taxi, and gestures for you to slide in before him. In the back seat, you find his arm wrapped around you, and your head comfortably rested on his shoulder. There was something so inconceivably natural about this position, that you didn't even realize he was lightly stroking your arm; in fact, you weren't sure he realized it either. This thought made brought a smile to your face as you snuggled in closer.

The taxi slowed to a stop in front of a large, regal gate. Benedict helped you out of the taxi, as you realized where you were: Queen Mary's Garden. You have always loved this place, ever since coming here once on a school trip. "I've always loved this place!" You almost run to the entrance, but turn around when you remember Benedict was there with you. "But- how did you know?" _Could he be any more perfect?_

"I didn't! I have always loved coming here to think, and I wanted to share it with you. I'm glad you like it." He flashed another one of his natural smiles, and grabbed your hand as you waltz through the gates.

Immediately you are both immersed in the serenity of the unspeakable beauty within the boundaries of the garden. The multiple colors of the roses, the regal fountains, the neatly trimmed hedges, everything about this place took your breath away. You two are continually swapping stories about the different times you've come here, and your favorite sights to see. You're both so carried away that when raindrops begin to fall from the darkening sky, you realize it has already been three hours. You find yourself to be shivering again, so you huddle closer to Benedict as you hurry toward the exit. He unzips his sweatshirt and wraps it around you, oblivious to the fact that he is only wearing a thin t-shirt underneath, that immediately begins to adhere to his dampening chest. Just as you open your mouth to scold him for taking his coat off, he leans down to you and kisses you so sweetly, you're left speechless. "We don't want you catching a cold, now do we?" You just shake your head, and rise to your tip-toes to kiss him back. Just as your lips meet, thunder claps, and the rain begins to fall a bit more vigorously. He pulls away, and grabs you hand, "We really should be going, it's going to be difficult trying to find a taxi on this end of town." You both rush toward the exit and out of the gate, and luckily a taxi is just about to pass by. Benedict waves it over and you flop onto the seat, realizing just how drenched you have come to be. You make glance at each other and begin to laugh, realizing you are both soaked to the bone.

Mid-laughter, Benedict sweeps the wet hair out of your face and kisses you passionately. The smiles on his lips fades from his mouth as his lips press against yours more firmly, forming your mouth to his. You feel his hands on each side of your face, pulling you in closer to him, as your hands find their way to his soaked curls and your fingers become entangled. He pulls his lips back, leaning his forehead on your's, and gazing into your eyes while biting his lower lip. Your breathing is harmonious as you both try to regain your speech, but no words are needed. He pulls you in close and wraps you in his arms as the taxi pushes on towards the center of London.

You find yourself on the verge of bliss as the taxi stops in front of your building, and the door opens, encircling you in the cold, damp air outside. Your smile fades as you realize this must mean the end of your date. Benedict walks you to your door, and you unzip his sweatshirt to give it back, but he stops you. "Keep it, it looks better on you anyway." You blush as he leans down and plants one last kiss on your lips. "Text me," He breathes as he pulls away. You watch him get into the taxi, and drive off before floating upstairs.

Once in your flat, you indulge in everything about his swearshirt; the dark gray fabric that matches his eyes on a stormy day, the warm, comforting well-worn lining, and his sweet, yet masculine smell that encircled you. You soon find yourself back in bed, immersed in his essence, and daydreaming about your man, the garden, and your taxi-cab kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

You look at the clock, only an hour left until Benedict arrives. You've been frantically cleaning your flat all day, and now you just needed to clean yourself up. You grab a quick shower and try on about five different outfits before you decide on a bright tank, a pair of black leggings, and, of course, Benedict's jacket that he gave you. You take one last look in the mirror, decide to blow dry your hair, throw it up into a ponytail, and put on a little makeup, then smile.

This is the first time Benedict has come over to spend a night in with you, and you can barely contain your excitement. You were supposed to be doubling with Martin and Amanda tonight, but the storm that rolled in today put a major damper on your plans; so, here you were, getting dressed for your night in.

You were rearranging the throw pillows on the sofa for the sixth time, when the anticipated buzzing finally rang through the speaker by the door. You sprint to the speaker and buzz him in, then wait by the door, trying desperately to catch your breath. His rhythmic knock on the door sets your heart into hyperspeed, and you can't stop the radiating glow coming from your face as you open the door. "Hey," you blush as he kisses you on the cheek and walks in carrying a drink tray. You close the door and he sets the drinks on the coffee table. "So we have a couple of mov-" You turn around to walk towards the sofa, but are unable to finish your sentence before you find your lips locked with his and his hands on your hips holding you against his warm body.

He pulls away gently, hands still on your hips, and whispers, "Hello beautiful." You chuckle involuntarily, amused by his spontaneous greeting. Wrapping his arm around your waist, he guides you over to the sofa, sitting down beside you, and handing you a warm cup labeled AC. "I hope you like it, you did say apple cider right?"

You smile at his child-like need to please you, and take a sip. "It's wonderful! Did you add an extra shot of carmel, as well?"

His eyes light up at your attention to detail, "I'm glad you noticed."

You set your drink down and walk over to the movie cabinet, and pull out the few movies you had chosen earlier that morning: Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride and Prejudice, and Moulin Rouge. Setting them on top of the cabinet, you turn to him to have him take a look inside, but he already has Moulin Rouge in his hands, and was opening the case. "I've always loved a good musical, and this one is definitely one of my favorites." Your heart flutters at his declaration of admiration toward your favorite movie as you slip it into the dvd player, and return to your seat beside Benedict. As the movie begins, he takes the blanket from the back of the sofa, and wraps it around the both of you, pulling you down to lay beside him.

As the movie begins, you faintly hear him humming right above your ear, and your breathing comes to an abrupt stop. Realizing your reaction, he clears his throat to cover his humming. Turning your head, you give him a sad grimace, "Why'd you stop?"

He forces a grin onto his lips, "I'm sure you don't want to hear me singing. It's not very pleasant."

You're practically glaring at him now, as you turn all the way over to face him. "Why would you say that about yourself?"

"Because it's true," his gaze drops from your eyes and away from your face. He almost looks to be in pain at the mere idea of singing in front of you.

You change your position until you're looking straight into his eyes, "If you're not a talented singer, then, I'm not a talented actress."

"But-"

"Nope. I don't want to hear it. Besides, even if you don't believe you're talented, what makes you think I would judge you?"

"I just don't want to disappoint you." He's staring into your eyes now, and a small smile forms across your lips.

You lean in and caress his lips gently with your's. "You're going to have to do a lot worse than sing unpleasantly to do that." You wink at him, and he grins back at you. "Now, back to the movie," you declare as you roll back over and snuggle into him.

The next ninety minutes, or so, are spent singing and humming along to the songs, and cuddling. Benedict's arms are always around you, hugging you closer to him every minute, until you are fully engulfed in his warmth and strength. You feel his fingers tracing the curvature of your arms and neck, and slowly drift off into a light slumber in his arms...

The next morning, Benedict's soft whispers coax you back into reality. "and the freckles on your nose. And I love the crinkles next to your eyes when you laugh, and-" You interrupt him with a muted laugh.

"How long have you been going on like that?" You smile as you blink your eyes open to realize you're facing him with your face burrowed into his chest. You turn your face up to look at him, and see him smirking down at you, his cheeks a light pink.

"Oh, just a small while," you both laugh, and his lips tenderly brush the top of your head. "Good morning, by the way," he says with a laugh.


	5. Chapter 5

Benedict has been getting more and more acting jobs lately, and it's been causing him to have less time by your side. He works a lot in random parts of town, usually at more than one job during the day, but today you finally were able to have lunch together-just the two of you. You had been meeting him on set with sandwiches and crips, but you usually couldn't stick around for too long, and he was always rather distracted, so you were happy to finally get him alone.

As the taxi pulls up, you see Benedict waiting outside. His coat collar is turned up against the wind, and his hair is slightly ruffled. A pleased gleam in his eye perks up as he sees you through the taxi window, and he scurries over to open the door for you. He greets you with a warm kiss, and hurries you inside from the cold wind and chilled drops of light rain beginning to escape from the clouds.

Once inside, you're enveloped in a sweet aroma of freshly basked pastries. Benedict leads you over to a corner booth and seats himself beside you, dissolving the space between you until it disappears completely. He wraps his arm around you as you settle into the crevice in his side, crafted specially for you, and asks you, "So how has your day been going, love?"

"Better now," you breathe. You didn't want to tell him about getting turned down from another auditon, or the fact that your bills were beginning to pile up due to the lack of work you've been enduring-but somehow, he new something was wrong.

"Want to talk about it?" He was never pushy. You loved that about him. He knew you well enough, to know not to pry; to know that you would always come around to talking in your own time.

"Not now, let's just enjoy this time together," you snuggle in closer. "It feels like soup weather, don't you agree?"

The two of you continue to laugh and chat, forgetting all about the real life problems either of you were having. That is, until he brings up your latest audition. "So how did it go? The audition, I mean. You seemed pretty excited the last time we spoke! Have they gotten back to you yet?"

Your smile slowly transforms into a displeased frown. "Yeah, they, erm," you clear your throat. "They weren't interested in me." A long, deep breath exhales from your lungs. You've been trying to avoid this part of the conversation, but you knew it would come up eventually.

"Ah, well, they're blind. You would have been perfect." He wraps you in his arms, "There's always another audition! No need to fret over this one." He kisses the top of your forehead.

"That's easy for you to say," you grumble. "Mister I-have-three-jobs-going-at-once-and-barely-have-ti me-for-my-girlfriend." You appreciate his support, but it's not anything near what you wanted to hear right now. He was always so optomistic, and while that was great sometimes, you just wanted him to agree that it sucked, and to drop it. You're focusing on a chipped piece of tile on the floor beneath the table.

"Hey," he lifts your chin up. "I'm trying, okay? That's why I'm here, _we're_ here. I wanted to spend my break with my girlfriend, and enjoy a nice meal. We don't have to talk about it, alright? Let's just enjoy this." He flashes you a genuine smile, and you can't help but smile back; feeling your pessimism ebbing away.

"How much longer do we have?" He glances at his watch, and his smile fades.

"Less than half an hour," he mumbles. You laugh in spite of yourself, and he gives you a puzzled look.

"Who's the pessimistic one now?" You're both laughing now. He glances outside, to see the rain has subsided slightly.

"Want to go for a stroll? I know how much you love the rain." You couldn't agree quick enough, and within minutes you were on your feet and out the door.

Huddled together beneath his black umbrella, you and Benedict stroll down the streets of this more swanky side of London. You joke about the

expensive outfits of the people that pass on both sides of the street, and you laugh at their disgruntled expressions as the rain ruins their posh hair styles. The rain has gone from a spinkle to a downpour, and you notice Benedict staring at you from the corner of your eye. You turn to see him smiling at you, and you feel a slight blush arise on your cheeks. "You really are breathtaking," he whispers. Your whole face goes pink with elation, causing his smile to stretch even further across his face.

Unable to speak due to your exponential amount of joy, you lock eyes with him, begging him to kiss you. Right on time, as if he had fully comprehended your silent signals, he bites his lower lip and smiles. He drops the umbrella and holds your face in his hands, then leans in to caress your lips with his in a slow, passionate embrace. Your fingers entangle themselves in Benedict's wet hair, as the pouring rain soaks you both down to the bone. His lips pull away and you feel his forehead lean against your's as you open your eyes. You study his beautiful face for a moment, and smile. The corners of his mouth are curled up slightly in a genuine look of sincere pleasure, and his eyes are focused on your's.

"I'm in love with you," he breathes softly.

Your entire being lights up at his words, and you feel your face being overtaken by a beaming smile. Words still refusing to escape from your lips, you resort to the next best way you know to return these affections; and, you find your lips back on his, kissing him more zealously than either of you could have imagined.


	6. Chapter 6

You had quite a bit of trouble staying asleep for any good amount of time last night. Your excitement for this all-day trip with Benedict today was incomprehensible. He has been giving you hints and clues about where you were going and what you were doing, but you still weren't completely sure aboutany of the possible plans for today. He told you to wear your swimsuit and warm, comfortable clothes for a long car ride, but that was all of the information you had to work with.

You smack the alarm right as it begins its rampage and jump out of bed. Your turquise polka-dot one-piece, with a retro bow, hung over the bathroom door, and your fleece-lined leggings were laid out on your dresser beneath your red, over-sized sweater. Getting dressed was the easiest part of your pre-planned routine, but with as much time as you had left until Benedict said he would arrive, you decided to spend a few extra minutes on your hair, regardless of whether you would be swimming today or not. You were just releasing the last of the gentle curls around your face when your phone buzzed with a message from Benedict:

_Good morning, Beautiful! I hope you slept well, I'm out front when you're ready. xx_

You grab your messenger bag and all but sprint down the three flights of stairs and out the front door to get to Benedict. Exiting the door, you see him leaning against a shiny, red convertible with a backpack, a blanket and a drink cooler in the backseat.

You run up to him, throwing your arms around his neck in a warm embrace and plant your lips square on his mouth. "So where are you taking me?" you plead.

Benedict chuckles, causing the corners of his eyes to crinkle slightly. "Patience, love. You'll fin out soon, but it's a long drive so we'd better be on our way." He opens your door for you and sets your bag in the backseat, then circles around to the driver's side and hios over his door and into his seat.

"Show off," you tease. He just snickers and leans over to kiss you.

"But yu love it." He winks and turns the key in the ignition, causing the car to come to life in a series of deep purrs. WIth a shift of the gears and a pump of the clutch, the car breaks away from the sidewalk and shoots down the street towards the motorway.

You nibble at you lip in excitement and feel Benedict's hand embrace your's, inviting it to join his on the gear shaft. You reach over with the other hand and click on the radio, witching through channels until you find a decent song. The car glides onto the motorway, heading southeast, right as the sun begins to rise. You feel Benedict's hand give your's a gentle squeese and you silently wish you could cuddle in that moment. The sky is painted in various hues of pinks and oranges that lightly tickle the purple and blue sky that was still dancing with the nighttime. Your face lights up with the sky, reflecting the joy and excitement beaming in your heart.

The next few hours are spent with rambunctious singing to the radio and laughing at one another until the car finally pulls off the motorway. You are immediately encased in the salty ocean air of the coast. You feel the damp, col air fill your lungs and all of your muscles relax, bringing you eyelids together and a smile to your face.

The car comes to a stop and yo flicker your eyes open. You realize youcan see the ocean clearly, but its just past the dangerously high cliff you're parked on.

"You brought your hiking shoes, right?" Benedict is already out of the car and pulling a backpack onto his shoulders.

"Erm, yeah? You never mentioned anything about a _hike_." You could feel your nose scrunch up in disgust at the idea.

"Don't worry, it's not too long," he's at your door, helping you out of the car. "And trust me," he purrs, "it will be worth it." Yor heart skips a beat as a lump forms in your throat, making it hard to breathe. He laughs, wholeheartedly, and hands you your bag and the blanket to carry. "And we're off!"

He leads you over to a trail head, cleverly hidden behind an overwhelming patch of shubbery. He takes your hand and assists you over the small bushes, then continues doen the trail. Between the steep, rocky ridges, and the sharp, biting winds, you grow nervous and stumble. Benedict catches you in an embrace, steadying you against his gaze up into his piercing blue eyes, and he bites his lower lip in anicipation. He leans in, pressing his lips tenderly to your mouth, smiling against your soft, malliable lips. You feel his soft fingertips brush against your face as your flutter open and he pulls away. He steadies you back on your feet, and keeps a hand on you the rest of the way down the mountain.

At the bottom of the trail are caverns of jagged rocks, coated with a thin layer of salt. Waves crashed along the edge of the formation, leaving a dark, wet mark along the bottom. Pulling a flishlight from the backpack, Benedict brings you down into the caverns. There is a damp, musky smell and water dripping somewhere in the shadows. The closed-in walls were rough and crumbling beneath your explorative fingertips. You grip Benedict's hand tightly to keep from falling behind, until you round a corner and see exactly what he meant by "worth it."

Stretched in front of you is a secluded beach of khaki sand. It is enclosed in a fortress of rocks just below the cliff and has immediate access to the clear, reflective waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The wind is blocked out by the surrounding rocks, leaving the water mirror smooth.

You realize your jaw has been hanging ajar as Benedict breaks the silence. "I used to come here," he started, "with my mum and dad." He laces his fingers in your's and leads you into the light of the beach. "They would bring me down here on holiday, and I remember it always feeling like we owned our own private beach because nobody else was ever down here. I would explore the caves and climb the rocks..." He trails off and turns to face you with a smile. "I've never taken anyone here before." His eyes gaze hopefully at you, waiting for a response.

All possible words get stuck in your throat, so you're left with only the option to return the smile spread across his face. Sensing youlack of words, he sweeps a few messy curls that have tangled themselves in your eyelashes from your face, and caresses your forehead with an affectionate kiss. "I'll race you!"

He runs off towards the water, shedding his shirt and hopping out of his trainers. "Hey! Not fair! You don't even have trousers on! Just your lousy swim trunks!" You rip off the cozy sweater, shivering in response to the cold, coastal air encircling your bare arms. You yank at your boots, suddenly grateful for the decision you made to wear the slip ons today, and finally strip off your leggings.

Benedict is already in the water, taking in the salty depths around him, when you finally reach the water's edge. "Are you coming in? Or do I need to come get you?"

"Is the water cold?" A slight shiver accompanies your voice.

"Nothing we can't heat up." He runs up to you, picking you up, and brings you further into the ocean. By the time he sets you down, you're up to your hips in frozen sea gasp as the rolling waves lightly beat against you, pushing you off balance and right into Benedict's warm, firm chest. You glance up at him with your hands pressed against his abs, and see his eyes intense eyes studying your face. He's focusing right at your lips with a hungry stare as he contemokates his desire to kiss you. Without giving him a chance to think it over, you fling yourself at him, pressing your lips against his urgently. Your lips part and he catches your bottom lip between his teeth, tugging gently against you. A muffled groan echos in your throat as he lifts you up by the thighs, wrapping your bare legs around his exposed torso. The places where your bare skin meets his burns with sparking electricity. You entangle your fingers into his hair, gripping it tightly. His face pulls away from your's, deperatley, and his lips part in a desirous cry. You feel his grip tighten around you as his lips and teeth take turns pulling at the skin of your neck, sending sparks of excitement through your body.

His name slips past your lips in a heated sigh, and he carries you through the cold water to the sun-warmed shore. He lays you down on the warm sand, lowering himself down by your side. He begins to trace the features of your face with his soft, gentle fingertips, your skin tingling in response to his touch.

"So shall we explore the caves?" you whisper with closed eyes. His eyes illuminate at your interest in his childhood playground.

"Of course!" He's back on his feet and rummaging through the backpack again without a second thought. He grabs a second flashlight, tossing it to you. "Get your boots on, love," he beams up at you with a childlike aura about his face. "We're going exploring!"

The rest of the day is spent exploring the caves, building sandcastles, playing in the water, and looking for sea glass; all to only be interrupted by a light lunch of finger sandwiches and strawberries.

By the time the sun begins to set, you're curled up on a blanket watching the waves beat upon the shore. "I've always wanted to live on the beach." You nuzzle even closer into him.

He runs his fingers delicately through your hair. "A house on the beach doesn't sound so bad. Waking up to the ocean every day... Especially next to someone you want to spend the rest of your life with." You blush, realizing the true weight of this statement. A few moments pass by in comfortable silence before Benedict speks up again. "We should start heading back before it gets too dark." You nod in agreement and begin to collect your items, helping to pack everything up.

You complete the hike back up in far less time than it took you to come down, so it seems, and return to the forgotten convertible. You and Ben pack your items back into the car and he pulls up the convertible top to shield you from the cold, night air. The drive is comfortably quiet as you think back on the last statement he had made to you. _Esoecially next to someone you want to spend the rest of your life with._ Your heart raced at the possibilities of this implication as you drift away to a beach house in your imagination, dreaming of waking up next to the man of your dreams, and even maybe, your new reality.


End file.
